Microsoft SharePoint Migration Services
Have you researched Microsoft 365 SharePoint migration services and other platform necessities? Moving from one technology platform to another can have a devastating impact on your business.
Why You Need An Optimal Migration Solution
If you’re not prepared, then you might experience major disruptions and bottlenecks. Seemingly minor problems can quickly balloon into complicated ones. Fortunately, you don’t need to experience this kind of pain.
At eSoftware Associates, our experts offer worry-free, professional Microsoft SharePoint Migration Services. SharePoint migration company plans all services from the start. Your organization doesn’t have to go through any uncomfortable growing pains before you get used to your new configuration. Our team can lead your migration efforts from other platforms well as migrating to a newer version of SharePoint. Take our SharePoint migration quiz today!
A few recent clients:
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We Strategize, Plan & Migrate With Every SharePoint Migration Tool
Most business owners and representatives would deal with countless questions when attempting to plan a migration without professional services. We can answer many questions with a free consultation about setting up your SharePoint server and implementing security solutions.
Schedule ConsultationSharePoint Migration Options We Support
There are a large variety of platforms and apps that you can migrate to SharePoint and Office 365. We support all major options and plenty of unique scenarios as well. If you don’t see you platform or app listed below, contact us anyways as there is a good chance we have worked with your unique scenario before as well.
Additionally, we have experience using all major SharePoint migration tools including AvePoint, ShareGate, Mover.io and many more. We know which tool is best for the job and will work with you to determine your best option to make your engagement a complete success.
What Box to SharePoint migration and Microsoft services do we offer to clients? We outline all the basic and advanced settings for every option. All data content migration requires confidentiality and a secure SharePoint.
Platforms and Apps
A file server migration to SharePoint Online or On Premise should not be under estimated. Yes it is just files. However, the following aspects we focus on heavily during this migration to ensure it is a success:
- The overall amount of content. File servers tend to have very large amounts of data. Does all of it need to move? Where should it move to in order to keep your active content fresh and easily accessible.
- What underlying security is in place, if any? Many file servers have security on folders within folders. How does that translate to Office 365 and SharePoint permissions and security?
- How do users normally find files? This experience is about to change. Are your users ready for that change?
- SharePoint comes with a lot of new features and functionality. Do your users want all that new functionality? Or should we disable some of it to get started?
- Are you as a company ready to support the above questions when they arise after the migration is complete? Or do you need a company like eSoftware Associates to support those questions initially or on an ongoing basis?
Many times companies start using Office 365 and then realize they might not be structured the best way. We help companies with the following services:
- Consolidate SharePoint Sites
- Migrate One Office 365 Tenant to Another
- Move Lists and Libraries Between Sites
- Cleanup Content in SharePoint Sites
- Optimize SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive Content
Our team specializes in a SharePoint 2010 migration to SharePoint Online as well as migrating to a newer on premise platform. SharePoint 2010 is at the end of its life, per Microsoft. We have been working with the platform since it was first introduced which enables us to know exactly what it takes to migrate to a newer platform. Some specific SharePoint 2010 features that we have seen with our clients and always look out for are:
- Site templates that no longer exist
- SharePoint 2010 workflows
- Classic UI that might need to be converted to a Modern UI
- Custom master pages and custom design
- Visio diagrams based on a task list
SharePoint 2013 was the last major SharePoint edition where Microsoft was trying to add additional services to the platform. The original intent was to offer more services that could be bought and added to SharePoint 2013 which would further enrich the product. SharePoint 2013 was also being developed during the inception of SharePoint Online.
Since then, Microsoft and companies everywhere have learned this model created a lot of additional work, errors and confusion. The additional services were deprecated and removed in SharePoint 2016 and never made it to SharePoint Online.
When migrated SharePoint 2013 to a new edition of SharePoint, we are always looking for SharePoint 2013 specific features including:
- Forefront Identity Manager
- Built-in Excel services and related features
- Power Pivot and Power View BI capabilities
- Tags and Notes
- Special Task Related Features
- Routines that are run using stsadm
SharePoint 2016 is the first SharePoint platform to introduce the modern UI. You may or may not be using it, but we will have in depth conversations on how to unify the user experience if you are split between the two. Your SharePoint 2016 migration to SharePoint Online will open up a new world of functionality which can require end user and admin training. We typically do not recommend migrating from SharePoint 2016 to SharePoint 2019, but happy to discuss the reasons why.
If you are migrating to SharePoint 2019, you must consider many factors. Information for SharePoint 2019 is inter-mixed with SharePoint Online information. We highly recommend consulting with SharePoint experts to ensure you fully understand what benefits you are gaining by migrating to SharePoint 2019.
We also specialize in migrating from SharePoint 2019 to SharePoint Online. There can be a lot of benefits in making this transition including a large reduction in overall IT costs. We will work with your company to do a cost-benefit analysis, if needed, and then fast track through your migration process.
Plenty of companies start using Dropbox to send large files. They then realize they are missing out on many features that come with SharePoint. Two of the biggest aspects of changing from Dropbox to SharePoint are training and communications. Users want to know why the switch is being made and what are the benefits when migrating from Dropbox to SharePoint. Other key factors often include internal and external file sharing and how those will operate in the future.
The G Suite is Googles set of tools that try to stack up with Office 365. Companies migrate from G Suite to Office 365 for usually 3 main reasons:
- The companies other tools or customers are reliant on Microsoft.
- Business apps can be custom tailored using Power Apps.
- Business automation and integration is much more robust with Power Automate.
There are a lot of tools within the G Suite so it is important to inventory what exactly is being migrated to SharePoint Online. A strong migration plan is necessary including end user communications and strategic migration paths to minimize business disruption.
Box migrations are similar to Dropbox migrations. Companies start out with Box and realize that Office 365 offers so much more with Teams, OneDrive, Power Apps and Power Automate. It is important to have a strong training program and communication plan when migrating from Box to SharePoint Online.
Lotus Notes is one of the older file management platforms. It can be complex to get information from Lotus Notes to SharePoint, but we have you covered! One of the hardest aspects is redesigning your file security to align with SharePoint. We place a strong emphasis on what the desired state of security will be for your company so it is scalable for the future. It is also important to thoroughly understand all the new SharePoint features and functionality and how compare to what was offered in Lotus Notes.
If you are looking to convert an Excel workbook or application to Microsoft Power Apps, you have found the right company. We are the only Office 365 company that has a dedicated Microsoft Office development division. This means we have in-depth knowledge of all the intricacies of Microsoft Excel and how they translate to Office 365, Power Apps and SharePoint. We also have dedicated SQL experts that can work with you to best manage your company data. The typical Excel features we analyze when converting to Power Apps or SharePoint are:
- Custom VBA Macros
- Complex Formulas
- Data Types and Data Volume
- Robust Charting and Dashboard Conversions (typically to Power BI)
- Data Connections and APIs
Companies are more and more wanting to make web versions of their apps. We use our team of Microsoft experts to analyze your Microsoft Access app and determine the best approach for making it web friendly. This includes:
- Converting Access forms to SharePoint forms or Power Apps
- Rebuilding Access queries, VBA and automation using Power Automate
- Restructuring Access tables into SharePoint lists or SQL in Azure tables
- Converting Access reports to highly interactive dashboards using Excel and Power BI which can, of course, be saved to Word or PDF and emailed
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What resources do we need?
A migration typically includes several SharePoint resources like architects, analysts, and designers. Our team will allocate the correct resources to your project so you don't need to worry about any resource troubles. Once we have staffed your project with our internal team, you can be sure that your migration will go smoothly and will be supported to thend of the SharePoint migration and after, as needed.
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How do I know everything will work the same or better than before?
We can ‘diagnose’ your SharePoint environment and ensure things will go as expected. In most cases, any potential performance issues will be apparent from the beginning. Keep in mind that SharePoint is a standard Microsoft platform and it's designed to integrate with popular office software solutions you're more than likely already working with. Chances are that the new platform will work better out of the box than your existing one even and we will go the extra mile to fully optimize it.
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Are the URLs changing?
They or may not but we answer these questions prior to commencement. That will give you ample time to update them before any links become broken. You'll be able to change them across all of your content and applications before the final solution gets rolled out, which drastically reduces the risk and frustration that comes with finding a resource that suddenly isn't there any longer.
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How do we support this after we move?
We have various engagement levels to be your SharePoint backstop post-migration. Many IT departments like to take ownership once everything has been set in stone. If that's the case, then you can feel free to use your new deployment as soon as it's finished. Those who want more in the way of support can inquire about a much more sophisticated plan. In fact, our teams can offer more than just technical help. We are prepared to offer training and SharePoint best practices that can impart the skills your crews need to efficiently use SharePoint and any other related tools your company may be rolling out.
Our Proven 10 Step SharePoint Migration Process
Gather Requirements
Gathering your requirements is the most important part of your migration. We pay extra attention to both large and small details because it goes beyond just your data. The requirements we gather include and are not limited to:
- Where Your Data is Coming From
- Active vs Inactive Files and Content
- User Experience / Design
- Security
- .Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
- Audit and Compliance Expectations
- Navigation
- Search
- Administration
- Integrations
- Electronic Forms
- Business Automations
- Admin and End User Training
- Your Go Live Support Plan
Create a SharePoint Migration Plan
Once we have all your requirements, we really get to work. We guarantee to present you with a SharePoint migration plan in one week. This document includes:
- A full list of business details based on your specific business and technical requirements.
- All security and permissions that will be setup.
- A list of sites that will be setup and the type of site.
- Details on pages that will be setup and high level what each page will entail.
- All lists and libraries that will be incorporated and any business-specific settings.
- Apps or customizations that need to be migrated and how they will migrate.
- Business automation that needs to be migrated or setup.
- Integrations with other apps and platforms such as Teams and OneDrive.
- How the navigation will work and be set up.
- Any search configuration or development that is required.
- Any file and content migrations you may need as well as any migration tool costs.
- An outline of your training and support plans.
- An estimated timeline of when all of this can be done.
- An estimated cost so you can make informed decisions.
Review and Approve
After your plan has been prepared, we take the time to ensure you understand in business terms what everything means. Your plan will match your business and technical requirements and can be adjusted during our engaging sessions. Once your SharePoint migration plan has been thoroughly vetted and approved, we can get going!
SharePoint Pre-Migration
The first thing we will be doing is called a SharePoint pre-migration. This takes the most amount of time. We will setup all necessary architecture and security before any content is migrated. We will also setup your SharePoint migration tool and the content mappings. Content mappings is telling the migration tool what content is being migrated and where it is migrating too.
Once everything is setup we will conduct a pre-migration. This has 0 impact on your daily business activities. It allows us to copy most of your data to the new location or a staging area, similar to what your real location will be. We are always asked “how long will this process take” and it depends on how many locations we are migrating content to as well as the migration tool being used. We typically estimate 50GB/hour, but can achieve faster speeds if the migration absolutely needs it. We will monitor your pre-migration throughout to ensure everything is going as planned.
Additionally, sometimes we will need to convert existing application or technical processes to newer technologies. These are treated separate of the content migration and are covered during the requirements, planning, review and approval steps.
Test SharePoint Migration Results
As your pre-migrations complete, we will work with the responsible business and technical stakeholders to test that everything is working as expected. Depending on the size and scope of your migration, we will schedule testing for different tasks as soon as they are ready. This will allow your stakeholders to test the results of the migration for content placement, security, navigation and so on.
End User Communications
While you are testing and it is evident the SharePoint pre-migration is a success, we will begin working with you on the exact timing of end user communications and what is to be expected in the coming days or weeks. Every company has different ways of communicating with their end users depending on size of company and where they are located. We have worked with every medium small and large so we can tailor that messaging to your exact needs.
Training
SharePoint training will be tailored to your specific needs. We have worked anywhere from speaking to a single person through training thousands of users in auditoriums.
Our training is not just for end users. We can conduct both basic and advanced Office 365 and SharePoint administration training to anyone in your company. The level of training will be discussed in full detail during our requirements gathering phase.
Plan for Support
Before, during and after training, it will become apparent the exact level of support your company needs. Some companies have technical staff and users who will embrace and support SharePoint after the migration. Other companies may need outside support, such as eSoftware Associates for the short or long term.
We are here to help with whatever your SharePoint support needs are. Our staff can be made readily available during your business hours and adhere to your SLAs. This will all be discussed in great detail as we learn more about your company.
SharePoint Full Migration
Now that your company has established the right support plan based on the features and functionality you are using, it is time to fully synchronize your SharePoint content. Most people are a amazed this process does not take as long as you would think. Why is that? You can thank Step 4, the pre-migration. Most of the content was migrated and tested by your end users since then without disrupting production. This step does require some business down time which is communicated ahead of time, but we make sure it is minimized as much as possible.
Launch and Go Live
You have your content fully copied and synchronized. The end users have verified the results, have had training and most importantly have the right support for the future. Your old platform or app has been set to read only or taken offline. Congratulations your SharePoint migration is a success!
Scheduling a SharePoint Migration With ESW Associates
Since we’re a Microsoft certified partner, we’re able to offer high-level insights into the SharePoint platform as well as Microsoft’s popular Office 365 software. Our consultants are always able to show your team how to better integrate these products together and use them more seamlessly than you had ever imagined. Contact us today at ESW Associates to find out more about our migration SharePoint services. Find out about data content migration options, Windows authentication methods, and other training and consulting opportunities.
Schedule ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We support migrating from any version of SharePoint all the way back to WSS 3.0. We also support migrating from network drives, file shares, Google Drive, box and dropbox into SharePoint.
We lost count serveral years ago when it was over 100. If we had to estimate, it would be over 200 migrations and counting.
Migrations can be done in as little as a week while some migrations can take months. It depends how much content is migrating as well as what complexities need to be accounted for. The typical SharePoint migration is about a month on average.
Some of our clients comes to us with “we want to migrate to SharePoint Online.” and nothing more. Others have detailed plans before talking to us and internal team members actively involved. Whatever stage you are at, eSoftware can step in to execute your SharePoint migration.
Most migrations require a 3rd party migration utility. Micrsosoft offers a free one for some very basic migrations, but most 3rd party migration utilities start at a cost of about $4,000 that is in addition to our services.
SharePoint Consulting
Our SharePoint consulting services are tailored to get you the latest short and long term best practices so your SharePoint platform is easy to use and scalable for your business. Our services can be ad hoc or long term ongoing.
SharePoint Migration
We specialize in migrating files and data from other platforms such as Dropbox and Google to SharePoint as well as upgrading from older versions of SharePoint. We will map your business requirements to meet and exceed your goals.
Power Apps
Sometimes you need a more robust app than just a straight-forward SharePoint list. This is where Power Apps comes into play. Our Power Apps developers will bring your SharePoint data to life in an app tailored to your business needs.
Design & Architecture
One size does not fit all. Our Office 365 specialists will evaluate your requirements with design and architecture best practices to determine if SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive or another platform is your best fit for your needs.
Client Reviews
What Our Clients Say
“I could not be happier. My users are happy with a tool that allows them to spend their time using the content rather than trying pull all of the pieces together. I will never look any further than ESW when I need a complex spreadsheet application simplified and improved.”
MANAGER WORLD-WIDE THIN CLIENT ALLIANCES, HEWLETT-PACKARD
“I want to commend both of you for a job well done. The quoting application is sensational and all of the newly requested features have been implemented to perfection. It is a pleasure dealing with individuals that can grasp the essence of the requirements and execute it with a good understanding of the user perspective. ”
MEDICAL SERVICES COMPANY, PRESIDENT
“Exceptional customer service is what every successful company lives by but very few can deliver. ESW went above and beyond to make sure our needs were taken care of every step of the way. Thanks again for taking such good care of us. You have delivered an exceptional product.”
FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM, MANAGING DIRECTOR